Meeting the artist

Walter Sprague
Art and Culture Reporter
 
An open house held inside the Weston County Library on Friday, Dec. 6, honored the artist who painted the mural on the front of the building. Artist Del Iron Cloud handed out bookmarks with a picture of the painting printed on them to anyone who wanted one and talked with everyone who came. Cookies and coffee were also available. And Iron Cloud chatted easily, answered questions, asked questions of the crowd, and signed autographs for many as they came to express their appreciation for the marvelous work.
“I would sit outside and watch Del paint,” Pat Townsend said of Iron Cloud and his art. “It was hypnotizing to watch him work.”
And Townsend wasn’t alone in her opinion because many people had similar experiences witnessing the once blank wall come to life with images borne from the mind of the muralist. Others described their experiences as fascinating or inspiring. Defining Iron Cloud himself, the words “friendly” or “kind” came up often. Of course, “talented” was never far from their lips. 
One of the things that would surprise people was how humble Iron Cloud is. He let his artwork speak for itself, not propping himself up as some great artist. Iron Cloud was more interested in the person he was talking with, asking questions and instilling his visitors with the sense that they were important.
The Lakota Sioux has painted three murals in Newcastle. This latest one on the front of the library is his last outdoor mural, as well as the last one where he will need to climb up on a ladder to paint. Now he wants to spend more time at home with family and enjoy a semi-retired lifestyle.
“I’m glad I like this mural as much as I do,” Iron Cloud said of his final large scale project, “It has more meaning for me. I get a sense of the developing minds of kids as they read and use libraries. That’s important. Some kids also helped with the inspiration for me. One suggested a fairy coming out of the book, and another said I should put in a magic carpet.”
Those images, as well as several almost hidden images of wildlife, are part of why Iron Cloud likes this mural so much, and he said it was really satisfying to be able to cap off his career with a piece as relevant and inspiring. It takes on more meaning when you consider its location. Iron Cloud said that imagination is what a library is about, and he couldn’t think of a better way to express that than this painting does.
“That man’s face is Andrew Carnegie,” Iron Cloud said of the astronaut. He painted that image to honor a man who has done so much important work, over a century ago. Carnegie led the charge in the founding of libraries all over the country, of which the Weston County Library is one.
The idea to have a mural done on the library was brought about by an aesthetic need. The bricks on the front of the building had stains on them that would not come off, and the idea of just painting that wall a different solid color did not appeal to anyone. However, to allow the bricks to breathe and maintain their structural integrity, the City Engineer decided to build a faux wall in front of the original blocks. Iron Cloud painted on that, so the original bricks were not touched. While there was a lot of anticipation over what the final product would look like, nobody expected the final result. The beauty and scope of the images that now grace our library are appreciated by all who see it. The mural shows a little boy reading a book to a girl. From the book, images of pirates, Aladdin, a dinosaur, volcanoes, space ships and planets come to life. 
Whatever ideas that are built into the mind as you read, that is what this mural is representing. Always a lover of tales, Iron Cloud said he was pleased to do a story about stories finally, and a more appropriate place could not be than the front of a library. Newcastle residents showed their gratitude and thanks to Iron Cloud during the open house. As for himself, Iron Cloud said he was just so grateful for the opportunity.